This invention covers the technical field of a multiple folding stage system in which a number of the front and rear folding stage components can be smoothly moved on a floor, or folded up and compactly stored against a wall or the like.
The inventor has already proposed in previous Japanese Published Examined Patent Application Nos. 7-21258, 7-116855, and Japanese Patent Nos. 2521528, 2549561, 2549562, two different types of electrically-operated folding stage system, namely a high-type system with long legs which may freely be folded up and a low-type system which has comparatively short legs.
This system enables the entire body of the front and rear stage components to be vertically folded up and horizontally moved against the wall. At the same time, a balancer mechanism supporting both components operated by an electric motor enables the entire body to be moved along the floor and displaced, or stored against a wall or the like.
In the aforementioned folding stage system, the surface of the front and rear stage components may be covered with "tatami mats" or straw mats for judo, or with mats for wrestling or gymnastics. Or if the stage floor needs to be covered with shock absorbing structure, this folding system also can be used for kendo, i.e. a Japanese traditional martial art similar to western fencing. If the stage system is convenient for such purposes, it may not be necessary either to spread or to take up tatami mats any more. Therefore, if the aforementioned stage system is installed on the walls of a gymnasium, this system will create sufficient space for other purposes as well as sports as long as the building can provide the space.
However, if a large number of people plan to use the stage system for sports at the same time, it would be necessary to obtain a multiple-version of the folding stage system. In order to do so, in the aforementioned invention of the electrically-operated folding stage system proposed in Japanese Published Examined Patent Application Nos. 7-21258 and 7-116855, it would be necessary to multiply the front and rear components of the stage system which could be folded together, and each end of the opposite components should be connected with the hinges on the floor. A multiple-version of the folding stage system could be folded up and easily stored. This system consequently provides a larger space for a stage.
When tatami mats or other mats are actually spread on the floor of the multiple folding stage system, the thickness of the stage body should be at least 10 centimeters.
However, under some conditions the structure which connects a multiple-version of the folding stage system with the thickness by using the link hinges described in Japanese Published Examined Patent Application Nos. 7-21258 and 7-116855, might not function. A multiple-version of the stage system with a certain thickness may not be smoothly moved because the faces of the stage systems folded together may stick to each other, or sometimes one face of a stage may cut into the other face of the stage. In that case, it is not possible to install a pair of the front and rear stage components such that they may be moved smoothly. In other words, such a multiple-version of the folding stage system cannot function properly because of an insufficient clearance between the front and rear stage components.
In regard to the multiple folding stage system which enables a number of the front and rear stage components, pivotally connected, to be vertically folded and horizontally moved from the floor, the inventor, in order to solve the problems mentioned above, provides herein a novel multiple folding stage system. In the folding stage system, a stay may be placed on the rear end of the link in order to fold up the legs mounted on the rear component of the front stage system, also this folding stage system includes link features to connect the front stage component of the rear stage system with the link shafts widthways right and left.